Twin City Times- Thursday, November 20, 2008
Mayor's Corner #61
Last week I wrote about my impressions of the presidential election and this week I wish to share my impressions of some other elections that took place. To many, it may well be said “who the h--- cares what the mayor thinks of the elections. Then again, some may be interested as to what was on his mind and where he may be coming from, especially when as a Democrat he was very public in endorsing a Republican for the United States Senate.
Senator Susan Collins not only won statewide re-election, but she also took Lewiston and Auburn by substantial margins. It just so happened that Mayor John Jenkins of Auburn and I endorsed Senator Collins as did former Lewiston Mayor Larry Raymond. She certainly didn’t win as a result of our endorsement. Our endorsement, in my opinion, was a mere recognition of the truly dedicated service she has provided to our communities since her first election some twelve years ago. Six years ago, again with Mayor Raymond’s endorsement, she came very close to winning Lewiston. She had set her mind to take Lewiston back then and worked to earn the votes of Lewiston residents, a city that is predominantly Democrat.
As a Democrat who had been recommended by Senator George Mitchell to President Bill Clinton for appointment as the United States Marshal for the District of Maine, my term ended with the election of President George W. Bush.
When my term ended, I was lacking 45 days of having 10 years of federal service in order to qualify me for the opportunity to purchase my health care insurance upon retirement. The U.S. Marshals Headquarters in Washington, D.C. suggested I check with our congressional delegation to see if any of them might have a project for me to work on for a period of 45 days. I first checked with Congressmen Baldacci and Allen and neither of them had anything to be worked on. Allen told me to go see Olympia Snowe. I did go there and they had nothing.
As Marshal, I would fly down to Washington, D.C. and on a few flights; I had met Steve Abbott, Senator Susan Collins’s Chief of Staff. So, I called him and explained my plight. Immediately, he said; “We’ll do something.” He said he would call me back in a couple of days. Sure enough, a couple of days later, he called me back and said; “You live in Lewiston, you can work in her office there as a Staff Assistant and when she is in state, you can drive her around.” He also said; “You can stay longer if you want.” I actually stayed 90 days and left after receiving two job offers.
Now, just think about this. This is a Republican Senator hiring a Democrat who had received an appointment from President Clinton. This to me said a lot about the person of Senator Collins. It, to me, was a true testament of her working in a bi-partisan manner as she always has for the good of her constituents here in the State of Maine.
During my service working for Senator Collins, I spent many hours on the road with her. She would get in my car and conduct her business on her cell phone. Obviously, I could overhear her conversations. I can attest that she was working hard for the people of Maine. I saw it and I heard it. After conducting whatever business she had, she would put the phone away and we would talk.
Both Senator Collins and I are Catholics. At the time, the Church was in crisis. We had lots to talk about. It was also post 9/11 and she being the Senate Chair of the Homeland Security Committee would talk to me about airport security as having been U.S. Marshal; Court Security is one of the primary responsibilities of the U.S. Marshals Service.
One evening I was in the car waiting for her to emerge from a meeting and I was listening to the Democratic Gubernatorial Debate from Massachusetts. She got in the car and I told her, I can turn that off if you’d like. She said, no, no, no. She was very interested. We were in Farmington at the time and I dropped her off in Freeport. Someone had given her a rose back in Farmington and when I dropped her off, she said; “Here, give this to Pat” (my wife).
On one Sunday morning I had to pick her up at her home in Bangor at 7:30 A.M. She got in my car and immediately said, “Did you go to Mass yesterday?” I responded, “I sure did, the 4 o’clock French Mass. She said, “They still have those on Lewiston?” She was pleased to hear it.
During that period, I also saw how hard her staff worked for her constituents and how they respected her. That also told me a lot about the person. We must remember that she had been Senator Bill Cohen’s Chief of Staff. She knows full well the importance of constituent service. This no doubt has reflected on her staff. I have the utmost respect for all of her staff members. They are super, both in their service and simply wonderful people.
Also, during that period, and since then, we developed a personal friendship. She has come to Mass with Pat and me and we have supported her by serving as host committee members in her campaign.
I have also seen her be an effective member of Congress because of her ability to produce significant legislation and work across the aisle. For Lewiston she has worked hard to have the Lewiston MAINEiacs be provided the same VISAs that professional athletes receive. As a result, they can start their season at home like the Canadian teams on an equal footing. As a season ticket holder, I am very pleased with that.
She has worked hard to secure hundreds of thousands of dollars for the Franco-American Heritage Center (FAHC). I happen to serve as President of the FAHC Board of Directors. She also helped secure a million dollars for the parallel taxiway project at Auburn-Lewiston Airport and $1.8 million to assist in the renovation, development and reuse of the former Bates Mill facilities.
Her father is a World War II Veteran and she has been very supportive of Veterans issues throughout her service. I would see that constantly while working in her office.
As mayor, she has also always been very accessible to me each and every time I have asked to meet with her here or in Washington, D.C.
The day after the election, I met up with her at Simones Hot Dog Restaurant. While walking out with her to her bus, a group of Somali men were walking by and they came right over to her and congratulated her. They then wanted their photo taken with her. This is the type of respect she enjoys. She has been very helpful in assisting us in our request to secure federal funding to help our refugee community with funding for language and job training.
Why then would I not support such a wonderful person that I consider a friend who has supported my community so well? The answer is clearly obvious and thus the reasons for my endorsement.
Now, on to Congressman Tom Allen, I first met him when he was Mayor of Portland and he and I served on a panel at Hebron Academy to talk about gun laws. In listening to him, I was very impressed. When he ran for Governor, I supported him and my son, Larry Jr. worked with his daughter, Gwen, in running his Lewiston Office. I have always supported him in his runs for Congress by attending fundraisers and the like. I like both Tom Allen and his wife Diana. They are a wonderful couple!
When he decided to run for the Senate, I knew he could not defeat Senator Collins. I only wish he would have stayed on as a congressman especially with the seniority that he has been developing. He made his decision and I had to make mine. As late as last April, I was in Washington, D.C. when I left a congressional hearing to walk over to the senate side. At the corner I ran into Congressman Allen. We walked over together and carried on a conversation as we always have with him knowing full well that I was supporting Senator Collins. This also, is a testament to the man that he is. I feel reasonably certain that the Obama Administration will employ the services of this very knowledgeable and dedicated man who will be an asset to the administration.
There was no question that I would support Congressman Michael Michaud as I have ever since his first run for Congress. Over the years, I have observed him truly grow in the job and he has done an outstanding job not only for his district but the entire state as well as the City of Lewiston. The issues that Senator Collins supported above also received the support of Congressman Michaud.
Here is a man, who worked in paper mills and then elected to state offices rising to President of the Maine Senate. He then became the first Franco-American to be elected to Congress. This is a true testament that with hard work, you can achieve anything. Obviously, as a Franco-American, I am very proud of him and his achievements. He too, is a Catholic and has attended Mass with Pat and me. He also is always very accessible to me as Mayor of Lewiston. As the incumbent who has been doing a great job, the result of the election was clearly obvious..
In the state races, I was obviously very supportive of my fellow Democrats from Lewiston for both the Senate and House of Representatives. I wish to congratulate each of them who won their races. In particular, I wish to congratulate Representative-elect Mike Lajoie who defeated me in the Democratic Primary Election in June of this year. The former Lewiston Fire Chief will represent Lewiston well. He has always been a hard worker, honest and truly dedicated to public service. I could not have lost to a better person.
Representing part of Lewiston in the Maine House is Representative-elect Bruce Bickford who also serves as an Auburn City Councilor. I know he will work hard for both communities. I hope and trust that while serving both Lewiston and Auburn that he would also support the consolidation of the two communities. That would tie right into his role as a state representative representing L-A.
At the Androscoggin County level, a surprise was thrust upon us with the defeat of Commissioner Elmer Berry. Independent Commissioner-elect Jonathan LaBonte ran unopposed. He is a bright young man with a vision for L-A and surrounding communities. He will serve us well in bring transparency to the County Commission that has operated for years basically in hiding. I am hopeful that the Auburn resident representing Lewiston on the Commission will work with LaBonte as I am equally hopeful that Republican Commissioner-elect Randy Greenwood, who defeated Berry, will also work well with LaBonte to effect the changes at the county level that are so vitally necessary.
These comments round out my impressions of the recent elections. With every election in this great country of ours, we are infused with new hope for the future. Let us hope that with this election cycle, those who were elected will place service to their constituents first and foremost over a sense of power. We must all remember that power rests with the people and those of us who are elected only have the power that those who elected us allow us to have. Service to people is what government must be about.
Lastly, and certainly not least, please keep your elected officials in your prayers as they will need the support of that higher power of our Almighty God!
